


Glory of Youth

by Lalikaa



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: First years as third years, Future Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:13:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28198947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lalikaa/pseuds/Lalikaa
Summary: Yamaguchi leads his team to Nationals for his third and final year in high school.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	Glory of Youth

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Shooting Star, the Yamaguchi Tadashi zine! I was also a mod! It was such a delight writing this fic, and I hope you enjoy it!!

“Hey, look- _look_ , it’s Karasuno.”

“Oh man, that team that’s supposed to be a top contender this year?”

“It’s that demon duo that’s scariest- y’know, the little shortie and that mean-looking setter.”

“Yeah, no joke, I heard their quicks are insane. Not to mention their setter is literally the best one in his prefecture.”

“Nah, what’s insane is their middle blocker with the glasses. Insanely tall and insanely accurate blocking. I heard Datekou’s Iron Wall couldn’t even measure up to him this year.”

“You know…. I think the most intimidating of them all is their captain, though.”

This was met by a few scoffs from the other boys, but Tamaki stood his ground.

“No listen, I have a cousin that goes to Seijou, you know, out in Miyagi where they’re from. Apparently in his first year he got five consecutive points off them in a single set.”

“You know… I did hear he got seven consecutive points off Shiratorizawa in the last tournament.”

“Seven? No way!”

“Yeah, and apparently three of them were service aces off his jump floaters, completely untouched.”

“Actually,” a voice interrupted the gaggle of first year boys crowded together in the hallway, “it was four.” 

The boys all quieted as they looked up at Yamaguchi, who had just hit 185 cm that winter, easily towering over most of the group.

Yamaguchi simply grinned at them. “I hope you all do your best during your games! Now if you’ll excuse me, I want to take a look at the roster.”

“Yo, Yamaguchi, why’d you leave all of a sudden?” Hinata asked, striding over with Kageyama at his side.

“Because he wanted to check the schedule, idiot,” Tsukishima’s scathing reply came.

“Well, Grumpy-shima,” Hinata said, gesturing to the first years. “It looked like he was talking to these guys over here.”

“Why would Yamaguchi be talking to them?” Kageyama’s genuine question sounded gruff to the first years, who immediately started backing away from the intimidating group.

“Will you all please stop scaring the competition?” Yachi sighed. “Try looking nicer!”

Yamaguchi laughed. “Afraid that’s impossible for Tsukki and Kageyama, though.”

“Don’t group me in with him!” Tsukishima and Kageyama said at the same time, turning on Yamaguchi. They immediately backed down at Yamaguchi’s extremely tight smile. 

If you had told Yamaguchi his first year that he would eventually be the leader and glue for his team, he would have simply laughed. Now that they’re in their third year, he can’t imagine being in any other position.

He’s proud of his team, too. The strides everyone has made; it’s incredible. Between Kageyama being scouted for the National team, Hinata planning to go abroad, and Tsukishima heavily considered trying out in the leagues… and Yamaguchi, he plans to lead his team to victory this year. 

Last night when the seniors had stayed up talking, they had mused on how far they’d come:

“It’s like- whoosh, boosh- we’re here now and ready,” Hinata said, ever energetic. He leaned against the balcony railing of their hostel, staring up at the stars. “We can take on anything.”

“We’re going to win it all,” Kageyama confirmed.

“It’ll be our legacy,” Yamaguchi added, and he leaned against the railing too, feeling the cool air against his skin. 

Yachi reminded them; “Just the fact that we’re here again is incredible.”

“We’ve worked hard,” Tsukishima said simply. 

“We really have,” Yamaguchi grinned. “And it’ll all pay off. I believe in us.”

As sappy as that had sounded, Yamaguchi had meant every word of it. He was ready to take his team higher than ever to live out the glory of their youth, to become champions in the eyes of their country; after all, they had climbed their way to the top through sweat, endless hard work, and sheer determination. 

Yamaguchi has no doubt in his mind that separately, each of his teammates are beyond talented. Together though, they are talented beyond galaxies. 

“Hey, Captain, I want to check out the merch they have here, do I have time?”

Yamaguchi smiled because of _course_ Yamada is asking this now, less than 45 minutes before they play.

“You’ll have time after we beat Nohebi,” Yamaguchi assured his underclassman. 

“Right, Captain!”

“What court are we on?” Hinata asked.

“D Court,” Yamaguchi answered.

“Ugh, _man_. Would it kill them to put us out in the center?”

“It’s only our first game, we’ll have plenty more chances,” Tsukishima said briskly.

Yamaguchi laughed. Some of his teammates haven’t changed at all in the past three years, while others definitely had. 

Yamaguchi supposed he has changed a lot, too. Just the fact that they’re at Nationals and he’s feeling a surge of confidence rather than feeling like a bundle of nerves says so much to his growth, though he’s not quite sure how to react to this. Should he bark out some orders at his teammates? Jump up and down in pure joy? Maybe go pray with the victory omamori Yachi had bought him last week?

Yamaguchi decided though, what he _really_ feels like doing, is playing some volleyball. 

\-----

Karasuno wins the coin toss. Yamaguchi takes a deep breath. He feels the sweat on his brow, the volleyball in his palm.

He feels the weight of the #1 jersey on his back. 

The whistle blows. He has eight seconds.

He takes a deep breath, tosses the ball in the air.

Today, he’s shooting for the stars.


End file.
